Don't Throw it All Away
by waystatus
Summary: AU, set in the Kill la Kill universe. After putting Honnouji Academy behind her, Ryuko leaves with Mako's family to start fresh in a new town. Just when she thinks she's finally gotten a chance to be a normal teenager, a little run-in with the Ultimate Life Form proves quite the contrary. Who is this "Shadow the Hedgehog," and why do they have almost everything in common?
1. Welcome to the Jungle

(A/N) First of all I'd like to apologize. Sincerely. Writing the summary for this story, for the first time in my life, made me pause in the middle of writing and think 'Oh god, what am I doing?' Yes, coming from someone who's written absolute absurdity almost drew the line here. I feel slightly dirty writing this type of story but hell, I gotta do a crossover at some point, right? So I'll muscle on through. It might be fun, who knows?

This story is not really anything serious. Just something mindless I can use to get energy out when needed, and it just so happens to involve my current obsession, Kill la Kill, mixed with my old obsession, Shadow the Hedgehog.

Everything written here takes place after the anime, specifically after the OVA, which came out just a few days ago. I've made one MAJOR change concerning the plot, and how the show itself wrapped up. To tell you what that is would be spoilerific. Even if you have no plans to watch Kill la Kill, I'll go ahead and leave a warning. **SKIP AHEAD IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SPOIL THE SHOW FOR YOURSELF:**

Basically, Senketsu is alive in this story because he's my favorite character and I want him here. He survived the fall with Ryuko, he's moving towns with her, he's not going anywhere if I have anything to say about it. If this bothers you, just remember, canon Senkets is dead. There, are you happy now Satan?

**ALRIGHT IT'S SAFE TO READ.** So this fiction is based on a running joke within the community that the main character, Ryuko, is exactly like Shadow the Hedgehog right down to her appearance, right down to her personality, right down to her final form. Right down to her DIALOGUE even. But it doesn't end there. Just how alike are they? Well that's what we're here to explore. So turn your brains off and enjoy the ride.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

Special thanks to Triple-Q for my motivation.

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><p>There was a quiet breeze sifting through the homefront. Lanterns were lit and framing the winding concrete rivers, a dial in the sky turning slowly until it were nothing but a blanket of velvety teal. Overhead the moon was emerging from behind its restricting shadows, bright, full, casting hidden eyes down on the townsfolk below, all huddled together in their houses, gently popping bits of nutritious meals into their mouth, laughing sweetly amidst conversation. Everything was serene, beautiful even, in this city of silver, yellow and blue.<p>

Oh honestly, who the hell begins a story like that?

"MAKO, STOP FEEDING THE DOG YOUR CROQUETTES!" Mr. Mankanshoku yelled, pudgy hands slamming against the table as he leaned over his dinner and shouted to his daughter, red as a beet.

Mako flinched as she dropped another chunk of fried mush onto the floor as their pug, Guts, gobbled it up greedily before careening back underneath the table.

"Come on, dad, we have enough as it is!" she insisted, eyes averting to her new room in their new house, where another girl was currently residing.

"I'm just giving him Ryuko's share!"

"Why do that...when you have me right here?! LET ME HAVE THEM!" the man demanded before throwing his body atop every dish, fingers groping towards her dinner. Plates went flying, croquettes raining. Mrs. Mankanshoku placed a hand to her cheek and giggled softy, flattered that her family was fighting so passionately over her cooking.

"You guys are too silly," she cooed. "If I had known it would be this much of a war, I would have made more to go around."

This was nothing she was new to. In fact, it was very routine. Especially with their newest family member absent from the dinner table. This was how it had always been.

"Neh, mama," Mantaro called to her from his spot. Surprisingly, he was the most well-behaved person present, despite being the youngest and certainly the most vulgar. His older sister and father were in a wrestling match. You could hear porcelain cracking underneath their thrashing weight. "Maybe you should let me have both of their shares, since I'm such a good boy?" he snickered, eyes half lidded.

Mrs. Mankanshoku only laughed again, embedding her chopsticks into another croquette and nibbling daintily. Mantaro's mouth pressed into a thin line.

"Instead of throwing that kawaii bullshit at me you could actually give a solid answer for once..."

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Ryuko could hear the familiar crashing coming from the dining table in the neighboring room, and couldn't help but smirk to herself. Even in a new, pristine house, their barbaric nature was far from being hushed. She was currently sitting, leaning against the wall of her and Mako's new room, not far from her mat. A sigh escaped her, and the physical movement of her diaphragm caught the attention of a certain personified sailor uniform.

"Ryuko..." Senketsu's rich voice swarmed the air around her. "Why didn't you join them tonight?"

The stitching of the clothing's eye lolled toward her face with interest, and she could feel herself being stared at. Ryuko smiled again, this time placing a hand against his tie.

"When I'm with them, it's hard for me to think sometimes," she answered, clutching the fabric lightly. "It can be a good thing. It can drown out troubling thoughts so that I'm left only to focus on how _loud_ they are, and also how much I love their company."

Her hand fell away. "Tonight is different though. I want to be left alone in my thoughts. I need time to catch up with everything that's happened."

Senketsu drew out an _ah_ of understanding, before adding, "I know what you mean, forgive me if I'm also intruding."

"You aren't," Ryuko replied to him. "But being here in this room is sort of distracting."

Her head lifted and she scanned the walls around her. Bare, stacked to the ceiling with boxes yet to be unpacked. She blew her red bang out of her face in defeat. "I feel like I'm in an alien environment. I don't know this place. And for some reason, something about that bothers me."

Senketsu was silent for a moment, before finally speaking up. "Perhaps you should go for a walk?"

Ryuko, after a period of stillness, finally nodded and rose to her feet. "That actually sounds like a great idea."

So off little Ryuko went, leaving the room behind and entering a new one. She was greeted with several pairs of curious eyes and grumbled mouthfuls of the Mankanshoku's inquiries as to where exactly she was going.

"I won't be gone long," Ryuko announced to them, feeling awkward and almost rude, which was uncommon for her. "I'm just going to stroll around for a bit, get a feel of the place."

Mr. Mankanshoku gulped down the last of his croquettes, wiping the crumbs off his lip with the back of his sleeve.

"Now, Ryuko? The streets at this hour are no place for a girl your age."

Mako shoved him playfully, but slightly painfully, with an open palm. "Are you kidding?! If anything, it's the people out there who should be worried about her! She could kick their butts anytime, any place!"

Ryuko's nose twitched and she couldn't help but form a sloppy smile. Mrs. Mankanshoku turned in her chair and nodded approvingly. "Just be careful, dear. Try to be back before late."

The raven-haired teen nodded before leaving the house and her family behind. The newfound silence consumed her as their shouting died away in slow embers. It was just her and Senketsu, stepping alongside the empty road, not going anywhere in particular.

"You're antsy." Senketsu finally concluded when his wearer crossed her arms and huffed once again. "You're not used to having these quiet moments. You have pent up energy."

Ryuko didn't confirm, nor deny, as she descended deeper into the ghostly town. She absorbed the images, tried to maintain them and file them away. But they never registered as home to her. She was so far from the home she once knew. It felt foreign. It felt uncertain.

"What happens now?" was all she could say, her arms tightening. "I've spent my whole life fighting. I figured once I stopped, it would be a relief. But it just..._itches,_ I guess. It doesn't seem right."

"Your aggression is part of who you once were," the uniform said quietly. "It'll take time to adjust. Someone like you just doesn't change overnight."

Ryuko's footsteps slowed. "Who I...once was..." the words tumbled out of her. Senketsu made a noise of agreement. "Yes, Ryuko. There are not many like you. It will be hard for the others to understand."

The vacancy in her bright blue eyes cleared and she began walking with more clarity again, vision focused overheard. "That much is true. I can tell with the way Mako's family has been watching me, whispering about me, they think I'm messed up in some way. They probably think I'm sick, or crazy. And maybe they're right."

"Your body temperature is a bit hotter than usual, but you're far from ill," Senketsu assured her. "You'll be just fine. If no one else, you have me right here with you."

Ryuko was about to say something. A thank you, perhaps. But just has her mouth parted, the sound of objects crashing came from a conveniently placed alley just to her right.

"What was that?" Senketsu gasped, feeling on edge all of a sudden. Ryuko, in contrast, only shrugged dismissively. "Probably some guy drunk off his ass, stumbling about trying to find home. This is the city, after all. I guess we'll have to learn to expect that more often."

She was about to start moving again. Her foot lifted into the air, but Senketsu flinched against her body. "Wait, Ryuko."

Ryuko's teeth gritted with annoyance. "You can't be serious! Not every bump in the night we hear is going to automatically mean dang-"

Just then, a hand shot forth from the shadows. A large, gloved appendage connected to a black arm thin as a pencil. There was also a large ring cupping the wrist. Just like the one Ryuko had, except golden.

She jumped back, while Senketsu nearly shrieked in surprise. "M-Mickey Mouse!"

"What...what the hell is that thing?!" Ryuko rasped, taking a few steps away as the figure clawed forth and revealed more of itself.

It was...a...

...hedgehog?

With...black fur and red stripes?

The eyes of the creature flew open and revealed two scarlet irises, burning pools of unquenchable carnage.

Even with him draped across the pavement, unable to stand, the way his expression presented itself was enough to send Ryuko's comfort spiraling downwards. Quickly, with her teeth, she pulled the screw from her own wrist and allowed the fabric to pierce her skin and suck up her blood.

In a flash of light, Ryuko's clothing saturated itself with blood before bursting forth from her body. A feverish storm of orange smoke and eyeballs enveloped her with gnashing jaws, constricting her body and leaving her clothed by thick fibers that revealed much of her assets than what she wore prior. Tits pressed, ass out. Metal wings shot from her shoulders and left one side to be occupied by Senketsu's eye.

"Life Fiber Synchronize, Kamui Senketsu!"

Cue giant red Kanji.

The hedgehog, with heavy weight in the head, lifted his eyes to take Ryuko in and all her glory, brows raising.

"Oh..." he sighed. "So I'm in _that_ part of town."

Ryuko had long gotten over the blushing after several trials of fighting in her prosti-I mean magical gir- I mean extremely powerful costume fused by alien power. Instead, she pointed a gloved finger in his direction. The fact that he was talking made this a whole lot more weird.

"Shut up! You've got five seconds to tell me who you are if you want to avoid a severe ass-kicking you...you creepy...gothic animal thing!"

Now the hedgehog was able to pull himself to his knees. "I'm not the type to be accustomed with time restraint," he spat hotly. "You're the one who would be wise to stay out of my way. Especially when I'm this agitated."

Ryuko cracked a side grin. Her finger fell. "Huh, that sounds a lot like one of my lines." She popped her own knuckles. "No matter. Even without my scissor blade, I can teach you a lesson you won't soon forget."

The hedgehog growled, his eyes slanting angrily. "Just tell me where I am."

"Aw, what's the matter?" Ryuko teased. "Have you lost your way?"

And now he'd had it. "I've lost my _patience!"_

With that, he spun into a ball and barreled towards a surprised Ryuko.

(x)

Aannnnnd cut!

Stay tuned next week for more crazy shenanigans with Ryuko and co.! Who is this mysterious hedgehog? Where did he come from? Is everything going to be daijobu? Only one way to find out!


	2. Creep

After dinner had reached its conclusion, and her belly was bulging at full capacity with homeade croquettes, Mako entered her new room and plopped down onto her sleeping mat, stretching.

"This is so exciting," the lethargic teen yawned, her amber eyes squinting tiredly. "Ryuko and I get a whole room to ourselves. Just wait until we get actual beds too. It'll be like a sleepover with my best friend every single night!"

She then looked towards the window, rumbling her voice with interest. "Speaking of, I wonder where she is right now. It's been almost half an hour. Shouldn't she be back soon?"

Mako fell backwards with a sigh, arms splayed, focus averted to the ceiling. "I suppose instead of sleeping, I can wait for her to get back, just in case she wants to talk to someone. I can tell a lot has been on her mind." She then smiled. "Besides, it won't take long for her to return. What could she possibly be doing right now?"

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><p>The hedgehog was rather impressed when his spinning had come to a halt and he'd been given time to survey any possible damage. He'd managed to collide with Ryuko's torso, and expected to retract himself with fragments of her pale skin and black garments left behind to stir in the wind. But instead, the cocky teenager remained in tact, hands on hips, a wide smirk playing at her lips, Kamui totally uncut.<p>

"_Unbelievable_...My spin dash didn't do so much as knick the fabric," he mused out loud, an eye ridge lifting as his fists balled. He forced himself to analyze her outfit up and down, and still all it came across as was a bad Halloween costume, squeezed skin and all.

"Exactly what is it that you're wearing? How can cloth like that even exist?"

Ryuko laughed coyly, a finger sliding down the material of her Kamui proudly. He'd clearly underestimated her.

"What, were you hoping for a show? Because I assure you it'll be a lot harder than that!"

Her red heel clapped against the pavement as she advanced the hedgehog. She was preparing to kick the living daylights out of him before Senketsu stopped her. "Careful, Ryuko. This creature isn't powered by clothing like you are, so defeating him won't be the same as it has been with past opponents."

Ryuko hissed through her teeth to hush the uniform. "That should mean he'll be easier to defeat! I can bring him to his knees, no de-robing necessary! I'll go for his fur instead!"

This time, the teen jumped forth and readied herself to lunge at the animal. But in less than a second, he retaliated by dodging her and then presenting a strange jewel concealed from from within his quills. She reeled away, shocked. "W-Where the hell did he pull that from?!" It was like he had a hidden fanny pack somewhere.

The jewel was a rich red, saturated enough to rival the creature's accents or maybe even Ryuko's. It also glowed, which both Ryuko and Senketsu noted with mighty uneasiness. It further cemented the speculation that this hedgehog was indeed some sort of alien from another world. Perhaps it was Ryuko that had underestimated him.

"I am Shadow the Hedgehog," he introduced himself for the first time this night. "If it weren't already obvious, I'm not from this planet. I come from another many galaxies away."

"Shadow..." Ryuko repeated his name out loud, disbelievingly as it felt incredibly unreal. She was starting to feel the creeping regret of leaving her Scissor Blade behind.

He gave no direct response, and instead went on with his speech. "You've crossed me, and now you'll pay with your life. With this Emerald," he said, the gem rising, "I'll show you the true potential of Chaos energy!"

"Well...whatever the hell that means," Ryuko sighed, her old determination and willpower spiking, as this Shadow character no longer posed as a mere oddity, but rather an actual threat, "I'll be more than happy to rival your power with my own - the power of Life Fibers!" Now it was like alien vs. alien, to see who came out as top dog.

A puff of steam burst from Ryuko's wings and again from beneath the nether regions of her skirt. Shadow's glare became acidic, if not the slightest bit awestruck at how this girl showed absolutely zero shame.

"You're despicable," he seethed, before hoisting the Chaos Emerald up into the air. "I'll be more than happy to do away with you completely, you human scum!"

He then tried to conjure his own power, and shoot it forth. "Chaos...Contr-hnngh..!"

But ultimately failed.

Shadow the Hedgehog, quite anticlimactically, dropped the Chaos Emerald and collapsed back to the ground, eyes screwed shut, teeth bared as he struggled to remain conscious. He said something that was nothing short of unintelligible, before totally zonking out.

Ryuko's eyes panned over him. "What the-Did he just pass out?"

Senketsu's lone iris took in the sight before him. "Not intentionally. He's injured. He can't fight you in his condition." Ryuko's broad stance softened at the shoulders. She realized the Kamui was right. And to be honest, she was sort of glad he was. "So, what do we do now? We can't just live him out here like this. He's an _alien._ What if someone else stumbles upon him?"

The clothing was silent before humming out loud. "Take him back to your house. Perhaps it's best to keep him hidden for the time being. There's no other place that can be done."

Ryuko could only nod as she transformed back into her normal costume, arched hair falling, skin completely clothed once again. With strange carefulness, she scooped Shadow into her arms, surveying his body once over.

_I don't see anything wrong with him on the outside. Perhaps his pain is internal. What could that possibly be, and what the hell is he anyway?_

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><p>Instead of going through the front door, Ryuko found it less intrusive to simply sneak in through her own window. Just like in teen rom-coms. Except her quarters didn't have an ornate balcony; not the kind to truly test Romeo's affections. Thank goodness for not having tall walls to scale. Especially with her hauling a hedgehog behind her like a sack of potatoes. The house had but one floor.<p>

With one hand, she pushed the glass upward and gingerly stuffed both Shadow and herself through the narrow opening, tumbling to the floor on the other side where plush carpet awaited. She would've landed on the hedgehog had she not been mindful of her weight. Instead she lay beside him, before rising to a crouch and analyzing him closely for the umpteenth time.

"Shadow the Hedgehog..." she thought out loud. "Such a strange name for a strange creature."

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sheer "OOOOOAAAHHH!" that went off like a bomb right next to her ear. The raven-haired teenager nearly jumped out of her skin, spinning around and coming face to face with an overly intrigued Mako Mankanshoku.

"Ryuko-chan! Where have you been, I was worried sick!" she cried out, planting motherly kisses all over her throat. Ryuko shoved her away and promptly shushed her, as she was loud enough to wake up the entire neighborhood. So instead, Mako averted her attention to the bundle of red and black fur lying near the open window. She would've screamed again, had Ryuko not clamped a hand over her mouth.

"You have to keep quiet!" Ryuko hissed quietly, before retracting her palm. "No one's supposed to know about this."

Mako, with an inkling of obedience, resorted to bouncing around the room while pointing fingers at Shadow all from different angles.

"Where did you find that?!" she gasped. "Are there really strays like that here in the city? With dyed hair? What is it anyway? A guinea pig? A hamster? A really _big_ hamster?"

"N-No," Ryuko held her hands up, desperate for her friend to calm down. It was useless though. Mako kept right on going.

"Honestly, as much as I like hamsters, I don't think my parents would be okay with us having another pet," she said, placing a finger to her lip. "Besides, we don't even know if it's housebroken. So I don't think it can stay here,"

"It's not like that!" Ryuko had to keep from shouting, her agitation boiling over. "This is no ordinary pet! It can talk!"

Mako's eyes grew wide, before falling just a tad with dawning realization. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but that's not that cool anymore. Guts says his own name all the time. 'Course that's really all he says. It's like he's some kind of pokemon-"

"No!" Ryuko stopped her. "He said more than just his own name! He held a conversation with me! The little asshole tried to attack me!"

"He?" Mako's head tilted. "How do you know it's a boy?"

This time, Senketsu ruffled himself, inviting himself into the argument. "Ryuko, tell her he spoke in a deep voice, and that he said his name was Shadow."

The teen obliged. "Senketsu said he spoke in a deep voice and that he said his name was Shadow."

"Your sailor uniform is telling you to tell me that a hamster talked to you," Mako's childish stare panned towards her. "I think you've finally lost your marbles for real this time."

Ryuko was about to retort, when the hamster in question began stirring on the floor, mumbling something incoherent just like he had before he fell asleep. Her heart jumped to her throat.

Mako gasped as she leaned down to his level, taking in the intensity of his scarlet eyes and his gaping mouth, where fangs were present.

"Ooh, sugoi!" she squealed. "You're like a little vampire! A little squirrel vampire that lurks in the night!"

Shadow's limbs curled up slightly, as if he was preparing to lift himself. "Where am I...?" he asked once, softly, his voice wrapped in fatigue. Mako, amazed that he was actually talking, was more than happy to answer. "Why, this residence is none other than the newest Mankanshoku household! Welcome, friend! Ryuko-chan and I have been here watching you, debating if you were really as spectacular as she said you were. And here you are, asking questions!"

The hedgehog's irises lolled over to an intrigued Ryuko, before shooting wide open. "You-! You're that girl from before. I barely recognized you with your clothes on."

Ryuko growled at his remark. "You _creep!"_

Now he was crouching. "Call me whatever you want. You won't get away with pissing me off so easily. I swear I'll end you so fast it'll make your head spin!" he threatened. "Just wait 'til I get over th-"

He didn't get a chance to finish, because Mako struck him over the head with a box that had yet to be unpacked. Just as soon as he'd risen, Shadow was back on the floor, unconscious, Ryuko reeling away in horror nearby.

"Mako!" she cried out, her heart racing. She'd be surprised if he wasn't dead now. "What did you do that for?!"

Mako, despite being extremely hardcore moments earlier, brought about her cutesy side and looked to Ryuko with warm stars in her eyes. "Did you hear the way he was talking to you? No true friend can just stand around and take that!"

She dropped the box and crossed her arms. "Maybe this is why hamsters never talk."

Ryuko, blinking once, slouched forward. "What do you mean?"

"Because they have nothing nice to say. That's why."

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><p><strong>(AN) Review or else I'll eat ya.**


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